Minor
in
Biology

Develop the technical and analytical skills needed to identify and evaluate the significance of biological problems across all levels of organization, from the cell to the biosphere, with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Ottawa University. Your education will teach you to understand and respect the patterns and processes of the living world.

As a Biology major, you’ll participate in innovative interdisciplinary courses such as Nature in Ireland, Environmental Biology, Environmental Literature, and the Amazon Experience. Additionally, a first-year writing course focusing on water availability and quality will broaden your understanding of how biology affects everything and may lead to exciting and unexpected careers in biology.

Students graduating with biology degrees have gone on to careers as:

Biologists

Environmental scientists

Conservationists

Health professionals

Teachers and researchers

An undergraduate degree in biology is also a fantastic gateway to graduate studies in a variety of sciences and medicine.

Why Ottawa?

In the classroom, Ottawa’s rich academic tradition and commitment to integrating faith, learning and life make for an educational experience well worth your time and money. And outside the classroom, you’ll benefit from the support of a close-knit community while remaining close to Kansas City’s many shopping, dining and cultural attractions. Click here for more information on our student clubs and organizations.

To learn more about earning a Biology degree from Ottawa University, contact us today.

Biology Major Courses

Required Major Courses

General Biology I | BIO 12043
Introductory course for biology majors which studies the intricacies of living systems and research as process. Topics include scientific methodology, experimental design, data acquisition/manipulation, and presentation of findings. Students examine processes across the following levels of organization: molecules, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and organisms.

General Biology II | BIO 22043
A continuation of BIO 12043. Topics include the study of the mechanisms of evolution, geologic history, phylogeny, organismal diversity, ecology, and behavior.

Ecology & Lab | BIO 31143
Introduces relationships between organisms and their environment, including role of natural selection, population and community ecology, and ecosystem-level processes. Emphasizes simulation and experimentation in testing of ecological hypotheses and use of microcomputers as a tool in data collection, analysis and presentation.

Biology Research Methods | BIO 35523
Course provides students with the tools necessary to plan, conduct, and present faculty-supervised, individual research. Students will perform literature reviews, submit a research proposal for a senior research project, learn to establish sound experimental methodologies, manage and analyze data, and to present findings in both written and oral venues.

Senior Research & Comprehensive Exam | BIO 49043
Students conduct an individualized research project under faculty supervision. Results are submitted in the form of a final report and departmental seminar. Students will also take a written comprehensive exam over the curriculum.

Select at least 10 semester credit hours from the following:

Natural History of Kansas Vertebrates with Lab | BIO 31343
Emphasis of the course is identification, life history strategy and habitat requirements of vertebrate species within the major physiographic provinces of the state.

Add a Minor

Add any of Ottawa University's minors to your degree to take it to the next level. A minor consists of at least 20 credit hours of which at least half of the credit hours are completed at Ottawa University.